R33 Gtst Low To No Boost And High Pitched Whistle Noise

[Chris866]

I have recently bought a 96 import r33 gtst and i am having some problems, firstly being boost, the stock boost gauge just barely gets past 0 at the high end of the rev range (cant see exactly because tacho is not working atm which is another story).

The other thing which could be related is there is a high pitch whistle noise which doesnt sound right at all which sounds like its coming from around the turbo when it gets to high revs. I cant see any apparent split hoses, could this be a leak on the manifold side?

Any advise would be much appreciated before i start dismantling on the weekend.

[75coupe]

Big exhaust leak around either manifold or manifold to turbo, look for broken studs on manifold...

Or you have a budgie nesting in there, look for feathers

[Tommmay]

Sounds like your wastegate could be playing up

[Chris866]

Lol! havnt seen any feathers yet but will check

Hmm looks like the turbo is coming out, if it is the wastegate is it more than likely the actuator or the wastegate itself?

[Tommmay]

around 2:00

does it sound like that

Was my spring in the wastegate actuator

Edited June 12, 2013 by Tommmay

[Chris866]

Hmm no its a different noise, it wont get close to boost till high revs and then it starts making the noise and will get to maybe +1 mm/hg at the most.

Ill have to get a vid of it tomorrow and post it up.

[Ben C34]

was the car cheap? Hope you can fix it easily man, like people said check for leaks

[Chris866]

No the car wasn't exactly cheap. Tonight i disconnected the bottom vacuum line from the stock solenoid and i seemed to make 6-7 psi, was about half way from 0 to 7 mmhg. I also got a clip of the noise:

[SargeRX8]

Sounds like a fat exhaust leak. Check for obvious visual signs. You should see black carbon deposits n shit from where the leak is. Since you said you aren't making boost, I'd check for the obvious signs around the manifold to turbo gasket. Then check turbo to dump pipe. Mine made that exact same sound. The metal gasket between the turbo and dump was split from reuse. Don't get those paper kind of gaskets, those two shiny things on the black shit. They are shit, piss weak and don't last. Get the proper metal gasket. I don't think a failing turbo would emit that sound. My car when I got it had surprisingly loose mani to head nuts. I tightened those up quick fast.

[Chris866]

hmm, i was going to pull it all apart this weekend but i cant get the replacement gaskets till after monday through nissan. Thanks for the info, might pull a few things out of the way and have a look for signs of a leak as you say. Not that i can see it very well but i think there is a broken stud on the manifold to head too.

[AngryRB]

id also check for shaft play, maybe the turbo is damaged or out of balance, its possible.

[lukea87]

I had the same problem with mine when the turbo was ment to kick in it would sound like a freight train lol.... found out I had blown the turbo..so I high flowed it

[Spunky Munky]

It sounds to me that it's not an exhaust leak. Probably the Turbo is gone but also check the Blowoff valve to see if it's fallen loose. This happened to me and turned out the BOV had given way over time.

[Chris866]

Well it seems i have found the problem, the gasket from manifold to turbo is in bad shape and has completely perished in the top corner

[ARTZ]

Lol...when mine did it that exact bolt in your photo had just come loose...I tightened it with my fingers and it fixed it ....

I tightened it with a spanner later of course..

[Chris866]

All the nuts on the turbo to manifold were loose, i tightened them up and ordered a new gasket. Would this be enough to cause complete lack of boost or is it likely to have a boost leak somewhere as well? car seems to be running very rich especially at idle.

[ARTZ]

yes...

[jiffo]

All looks pretty normal, even still got the tab washers.

Pull off the heat shield and keep going because for sure there'll be manifold studs gone too.

Do all that work properly and you won't know the same car.